Alexander's Ever-Expanding Tome of Knowledge, pt 2

[HoneyBadger]

I have, though not a lot. So yes, I'm just speculating like everyone else, since we're not all currently involved in the same specific MP game.

Arcane Nexus is a given, but if you make a determined effort at clam-spamming right from the beginning-and Aboleths can do this very quickly into the game-you can be generating tons of them, at an exponential rate. That's just applied mathematics.

And certainly, you can find lots of good uses for 300 astral gems. That's not at all the point. Circumstances differ and different strategies should be developed which can get the most out of whatever circumstance you happen to find yourself in.

I don't suppose that this particular thread is intended to find "the one true only best way" to do anything, regardless of the game you find yourself in, and your own feelings on a specific subject at a specific time. It's for coming up with strategies and expanding our knowledge about the game-tools in the toolbox.

[mivayan]

HoneyBadger said:
The Gorgon is one that does, because of her inherant Petrification. 200 units attack most SC's and you've got 199, maybe 198 units, and a very dead SC.

Equipping a charcoal shield (7 ap fireshield) works pretty well too against weak foes.

Aleph said:
Edit: Or a Carrion Dragon

It can cast soul vortex, but it cant regenerate (unless you play pangea and cast the right national priest spell). No regeneration seems so scary against lifeless units.

HoneyBadger said:If I can take out a hundred of the other guy's troops per SC of mine, and still keep the SC, it could very well decide the game, even if I'm putting all of my astral pearls into SCs. After all, I'm going to have a lot more of them than the other guy, because that's one thing R'lyeh's good for.

One risk of a solo 300-gem supercombatant in late late late game is running into a squad of 20 blood-3 mages. Each scripted to cast "life for a life". Total cost 20 blood slaves for 800 armor negating damage at range 100/precision 100.

[HoneyBadger]

Yeah, SCs aren't the answer to every strategy problem. I wouldn't solo any 300-gem SC in anything but an early to early-mid game, though. The idea of a 300-gem SC isn't that you solo him, it's that you group him with 4 of his buddies, put a tough army and lots of magical support behind him, and use him as a high-powered shock troop/support unit that you can send head-on into large groups of the enemy and don't have to worry so much about losing.

Basically, it's a main tank.

[void]

shall i say that, 12 abominations kill units much faster than a single (empowered or whatever) kraken--much faster than you can ever imagine, while 12 juggernauts spreads your dominion like crazy.

yes, abominations can be summoned underwater;
no, even ocean races are able and should build labs above water and casting spells from there.

btw, i'll be very happy to use a group of 50 abominations against 4 ancient krakens, and i'll be even happier to use 250 abominations against 20 krakens, assuming i have an equal "magical support" on the battlefield.
tough army or not, it doesnt matter....

[HoneyBadger]

Void, maybe we should just play rock-paper-scissors, that way we've only got 3 choices and we always know who's going to win. It'll take a lot less time.

[HoneyBadger]

Maybe you could even use two hands to play, while I could use the larger SC giant foam football hand to play, and then we could both post strategies for the "best way to play"?

[upstreamedge]

Well, in one sense they do not. ME Pangea has no unit which can give you the detailed info of a spy, but they can instill uprisings, Here is how.

1) get a black harpy

2) give it ten revelers

3) send it to an enemy province

as each reveler has a check to produce turmoil separately you will average about 5 points of turmoil per turn. One drawback is the fact that you can not see how much turmoil you have caused, but the target will not be alerted that someone is causing trouble in their territories.

[void]

I'm posting here coz' I love the Ever-Expanding Tome, not for a paper-scissors-rock game. That said, it would be sad to see comical tactics--while relaxing--write in the tome.

Here's another example of such a comical idea, although IMHO it's far more executable than the great Karkens March On tactic, that had me stunned a few minutes ago on another Dominions Forum.

The idea is simple:

- Build a high astral unit. 10S Pretender can be a good start.
- Raise the unit's astral magic to 15+.
- Give him some penetrate bonus items. +7 or +8 would be very ideal(that's possible on a blind 4-misc slot unit).
- Get some astral gems for him.
- Have it scripted "Master Enslave","Master Enslave","Vortex of Returning"(or simply Returning).

Guess what?

Yup, that's the "THE GRAND MASTER". as hilarious as Kraken Swarm, but way more effective shall I judge.

[Meglobob]

Meglobob's quick & easy guide to slaughtering the opposition with MA Man:-

MA Man is a strong nation, it has alot going for it and many possibilites. Here is one based on stealth...

Bards, only 75gp, +30 stealth, can instill unrest, fantastic, recruit loads, get 4+ to every enemy castle, take unrest over 100. Your enemy can't recruit anymore. You have won.

Mothers 130gp, 2N 1A, stealthy, cool, research upto storm of thorns, put into squads of 4, script 5xstorm of thorns, should defeat most PD upto 30+.

Monks, 30gp, stealthy, can cast bless, can lead 10 stealthy blessed wardens into enemy lands. Can any PD defeat 10 wardens with a W9F9N4 bless? Or if you want decent scales try...E9N4.

Put all those together, plus plenty of longbows (wind guided of course, flaming arrows if your lucky) mix with plenty of lightning/thunder strikes...cool.

[HoneyBadger]

Void, my point is that we're here to write suggestions about strategies in the game, not to be arm-chair generals and nitpick about the merits of a particular strategy as applies to our own personal method of playing the game.

I'm not at all trying to be comical except as a means to an end, nor am I suggesting or intending to suggest something that would necessarily lose someone a game.

If something I suggest flat-out cannot be done in the game, then please inform me, otherwise I fail to see your point as we don't play the game the exact same way, and no two games, or players, are alike.